Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

It would be rather silly to introduce a means test in the course of a by-election.

Senator Quinn said we do not treasure or talk up enough the democracy we all share. He noted that in Egypt, where the opposition candidate is daring to challenge the leader, who has ruled for so long, a newspaper which would have supported the opposition candidate was suppressed. Thankfully that is the sort of situation we know little of in this country.

Senator Bradford explained to me that he had to leave the Chamber but asked for a debate on visas. He said that during all the debates we have had in this House regarding Northern Ireland we have been tiptoeing around matters because we do not want to upset anyone who might be taking a forward step or upset what might be happening. Perhaps we should now stop tiptoeing and describe things as they are.

Senator Ross said that certain IRA members should be tried for war crimes as they have been involved in so-called ethnic cleansing, have taken on the State and have taken the law into their own hands. Senator Ross then referred to the truncated radio debate in which Senator Ryan was involved.

Senator Phelan noted that the Travers report is very revealing and asked for a review of rollover relief. Senator Feighan referred to the IRA and due process. He spoke of the conference centre mooted on many occasions and asked for a statement on it by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Senator Terry noted the cost of taking children into care and said that many children are at risk in their own homes. I have no doubt that they are. It is a broad debate and perhaps we might ask the Minister for Health and Children to attend the House to discuss the matter.